Osteospermum plant named ‘Doostmaryel 21’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Doostmaryel 21’, characterized by its compact, uniform and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and uniformly branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; large single-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOOSTMARYEL 21’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Nov. 12, 2020, application number 2020/2855. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doostmaryel 21’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Puerto Lumbreras, Spain and De Lier, TheNetherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop newvigorous Osteospermum plants that are freely and uniformly branchingwith numerous large inflorescences with unique and attractive ray anddisc floret coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor during the winter of 2013 of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘MargaritaPlus Yellow’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code numberQQ11-000059-005, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent. The newOsteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminalvegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier,The Netherlands since August, 2014 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Doostmaryel 21’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Doostmaryel 21’ as a new and distinctOsteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, uniform and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely and uniformly branching habit.    -   4. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   5. Large single-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored        ray florets.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent, ‘Margarita Plus Yellow’, in ray floret color as rayflorets of plants of the new Osteospermum are darker yellow in colorthan ray florets of plants of ‘Margarita Plus Yellow’.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Osteospermum aremore compact than and not as vigorous as plants of the male parentselection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostyel’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.21,342. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermumdiffer primarily from plants of ‘Fidostyel’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Fidostyel’.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Fidostyel’.    -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences        with fewer ray florets than plants of ‘Fidostyel’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Osteospermum plant. The photograph is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Doostmaryel 21’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the summer autumn in 12-cm containers in aglass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Osteospermum production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C.,night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 14° C. and light levelsaveraged 135 watt/m². Plants were pinched five weeks after stickingunrooted cuttings and plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph wastaken and 18 weeks old when the description was taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Doostmaryel 21’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Margarita            Plus Yellow’, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number            QQ11-000059-005, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 25 days at            temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 28 days at            temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            whitish grey in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizers, substrate temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, uniform and mounding            plant habit; relatively short internodes, dense and bushy            growth habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate            growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 17            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 21            cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching            habit, about six primary lateral branches each with about            three to four secondary lateral branches developing per            plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length:            About 17 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: About            7 mm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, developing and developed:            Close to 144B.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile.            Length: About 5.3 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Spatulate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate and lobe with            medium depth and divergent sinuses. Texture and luster,            upper surface: Pubescent; leathery; slightly glossy. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery;            slightly dull. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to N137D. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137D; venation, close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,            close to 144B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance and aspect.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences;            inflorescences positioned beyond the foliar plane on strong            peduncles and face mostly upright to outwardly; single-type            inflorescence form with lanceolate-shaped ray florets and            tubular disc florets; ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about nine to            eleven open inflorescences per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring until first            frost in the autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin            flowering about 70 to 91 days after sticking cuttings.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about one week            on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About            9 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            semi-glossy. Color: Close to 137B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 9 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle diameter:            About 8 mm. Receptacle height: About 7 mm. Receptacle color:            Close to 137C.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:            About 21 arranged in one to two whorls. Length: About 4 cm.            Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Emarginate.            Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 12A.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 9A; venation, close to            179C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 10A; venation,            close to 10A; color does not change with subsequent            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 9B;            venation, close to 179C; color becoming closer to 12A with            subsequent development.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:            About 56 arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 6 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Tubular with five pointed            apices. Apex: Dentate. Aspect: Upright. Texture and luster:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When developing and fully            developed, inner surface: Close to 7A; color becoming closer            to 14A with subsequent development. When developing and            fully developed, outer surface: Close to 8D; color does not            change with subsequent development.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:            About 21 arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 8 mm.            Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface:            Close to 138A. Color, lower surface: Close to 139C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly            slanting. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            200A. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther color: Close to 200A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc            florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:            Tri-parted. Stigma diameter: About 0.2 mm. Stigma color:            Close to 200A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close            to 200A. Ovary color: Close to 144D.        -   Fruits/seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development has not            been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermum plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named‘Doostmaryel 21’ as illustrated and described.